There are a lot of things I expected from my state-mandated 16-hour concealed carry class. A refresher on firearm safety? Absolutely. Practical guidance on self-defense scenarios? Hopefully. A front-row seat to a retired cop’s personal TED Talk on politics and the decline of Western civilization? Not exactly what I signed up for, but sure, let’s go with it.
The Setting: A Homeland Security Training Center... Sort Of
The class was hosted at what was billed as a Homeland Security training center, which certainly sounded impressive. In reality, it was just a room with some chairs, a projector, and an instructor who had clearly given this course more times than he cared to count. Our instructor, a retired police officer, was undeniably knowledgeable—but also seemed to regard the state-mandated class length as more of an obstacle to be met with malicious compliance than a strict requirement.
Political Science 101 (Or: Why We’re Here for 16 Hours)
The Second Amendment is, by nature, a politically charged topic. I get that. But personally, I don’t think a legally mandated course is the place for extended soliloquies on the erosion of American values or thinly veiled digs at one political party or another. Unfortunately, a significant chunk of our class time was spent on exactly that—long, meandering digressions that had little to do with carrying a concealed weapon and everything to do with the instructor’s personal beliefs.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I love a good discussion. But when I signed up for a CCW class, I was hoping to hear about self-defense laws and best practices, not embark on an unsolicited journey through the instructor’s personal philosophy on society’s decline.
Time-Filling 101: Negligent Discharges & War Stories
At least an hour of the class was spent watching videos of negligent discharges and listening to our instructor recount various gun-related incidents from his time on the force. While some of this was relevant—yes, knowing what not to do is important—I got the distinct impression that this was more about filling time than actually educating us. The disdain for the state-mandated hours was palpable, and instead of structured lessons, we got a “watch this, don’t do this” approach that left much to be desired.
Holster Roulette: A Mismatched Game of Carry Options
One of the few hands-on portions of the class involved practicing drawing from concealment. Sounds useful, right? Well, it could have been—except all the holsters were personally owned by the instructor and were a hodgepodge of outside-the-waistband (OWB), shoulder holsters, leather, Kydex, and other options that didn’t align with what most students intended to carry. Not a single inside-the-waistband (IWB) option was available because, as the instructor helpfully informed us, he “just didn’t like them.” Oh. Well, thanks for that.
This left many of us fumbling with unfamiliar gear, practicing with holsters we’d never use, and ultimately feeling like this portion of the class was a bit of a waste. If the point is to prepare us for real-world carry, wouldn’t it make sense to let students practice with the methods they actually plan to use?
The Range Test: Here’s a Glock, Good Luck!
Ah, the grand finale—the range test. This is where things got particularly frustrating. Instead of using our personal carry guns—the ones we’ve trained with, the ones we’ve chosen for comfort and accuracy—we were handed stock Glock 17s and sent on our way.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Glocks are fine. But if I’ve been told time and time again to “carry what I shoot best,” why am I being forced to qualify with something I’ve never shot before? I assume this was for liability reasons, but it still felt counterintuitive.
The Instructor’s True Calling: Practical Instruction
To give credit where it’s due, the practical instruction was where our instructor actually shined. Once we got past the politics, the videos, and the holster buffet, his ability to break down shooting fundamentals and offer meaningful, individualized feedback was fantastic.
It was clear that this was the part of the class he enjoyed the most, and it showed. His experience and knowledge translated well when helping novice shooters refine their technique. If only the classroom portion had the same level of enthusiasm and structure.
I would happily take a 16-hour course from this instructor on practical shooting or marksmanship. As a former educator myself, I can wholeheartedly say: he was a good teacher—observant, patient, concise, and practical... when it came to shooting.
This was most evident given that, with the exception of myself and one other student, no one else had ever fired a handgun before. And yet—they ROCKED it. Every single one of them passed. Not just barely, either. They exceeded expectations, and that is a testament to the instructor’s ability to quickly identify and correct issues in a way that made sense. He saw mistakes as they happened, addressed them immediately, and provided feedback that actually improved performance.
But Wait, There’s More! (For a Price)
Just when I thought we were done, we were treated to the grand finale: a sales pitch for CCW insurance. Look, I understand that legal protection is an important consideration for concealed carriers, but after 16 hours of sitting through everything from political diatribes to holster incompatibility, the last thing I wanted was a thinly veiled infomercial.
If I want to explore CCW insurance, I’ll do my own research—I don’t need it tacked onto the tail end of an already bloated class.
Final Thoughts: Did I Learn Anything New?
Honestly? No. But that’s probably because I’ve spent months researching CCW laws, self-defense strategies, and responsible carry methods. For someone walking into this class with zero prior knowledge, it might have been more informative.
That being said, I think we can all agree that mandated training should be about education, not personal opinions, political tangents, or sales pitches. If the time had been spent more efficiently, focusing on practical skills and legal requirements without unnecessary fluff, this could have been a fantastic course.
Instead, it was a mixed bag—some valuable information buried under hours of filler. But hey, at least I got my certificate. Now I just need to make sure I actually carry what I shoot best.
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